STEVE CARPENTER
HutchCC Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College women’s cross country team was tapped with the second-highest national ranking in program history on Wednesday.
The Blue Dragons were ranked No. 2 in the first United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NJCAA Division I Women’s cross country rankings.
Hutchinson has had two strong performances this season, finishing second at the Terry Masterson Twilight Invitational and fifth in the Gold Division of the Woody Greeno/Jay Dirksen Invitational in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The only national ranking higher than the Blue Dragons’ No. 2 rank came in 2001 when Hutchinson was preseason No. 1 in Division II. That team went on to win the NJCAA Division II national title. This is the highest Division I ranking in program history.
The last time the Blue Dragons were ranked in the Top 5 was Week 1 in 2020 when Hutchinson was ranked No. 5. The Dragons ended last season at No. 12.
Wednesday’s rankings followed an eventful weekend for the Blue Dragons in Lincoln where freshman Serenity Larson posted the second-fastest 5,000-meter time in the Hutchinson women’s team’s history with a time of 18 minutes, 41 second. Freshman Gracie Lambert posted in the 14th-fastest Blue Dragon time while finishing in 82nd. Freshman Taylor Hoskinson came in 97th, and super-sophomore Louise Cocking finished in 98th.
Southern Idaho was ranked the No. 1 team in the country in the Week 1 rankings. Butler was ranked 10th, Dodge City 11th, Garden City at No. 13 and Neosho County No. 18.
The Blue Dragon women compete next at the Chili Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Friday, Sept. 30.
USTFCCCA/NJCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY POLL
Final 2022 Poll
1. College of Southern Idaho 1
2. Hutchinson 12
3. El Paso 3
4. New Mexico Junior College 4
5. Iowa Central 5
6. Salt Lake NR
7. Central Arizona 8
8. Iowa Western 5
9. Cloud County 2
10. Butler 22
11. Dodge City 9
12. Southern Nevada NR
13. Garden City 14
14. Vincennes 17
15. Crowder NR
16. North Central Texas 16
17. Pima 21
18. Neosho County NR
19. Seminole State College (FL) NR
20. Eastern Florida State NR